There is prog and then there is prog. During the 80’s and 90’s prog kinda went on the wayside. There are bands out there that are called prog, but none of it really jumped out at me and said, “Wow that is awesome!” Then something must have gotten in the water in Europe and the UK, because seemingly out of no where there has been a progressive rock explosion. From Sweden you have Witchcraft, Graveyard (which I consider both to be prog and more than doom), Seina Root, and Asteroid. Germany has it’s own resurgence of Kraut rock with bands like Samsara Blues Experiences.
And then there is the U.K. Along with neo-heavy folk band Circulus and space rock upstarts Litmus, Brighton’s Diagonal have picked up where Van der Graaf Generator, Pink Floyd, Genesis, and Yes left off. There debut self-titled record is a progressive rock masterpiece! Right from the first song you know it is going to be good. Alex Crispin’s vocals are awe inspiring! The beautifully maudlin start to Child of the Thundercloud is epic and the harmonies during the whole song are luscious. Then midway through the song it takes a psychedelic turn. Luke Foster’s drum fills through out the whole album remind me of John Bohnam on Physical Graffiti.
With a song title like Deathwatch you would imagine something being epic and grim. But the grace that comes through the speakers is astonishing! I am a sucker for a Fender Rhodes so I was instantly sold. The spastic bass and sax on Cannon Misfire are too groovy for my mind to comprehend. I would keep and eye on Diagonal. If there debut album is this good, there is no telling what they can do.
